Shears



Nov. 18, 1930. A. R. Nic-ARTHUR Filed Nov. 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1930. A. R. MCARTHUR SHEARS Filed Nov. 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet Jnvenor.'

Nov. 18, 1930. A. R. MCARTHUR 4 Shets-Sheet Zwem?? Nov. 18, 1930. A. R, MCARTHUR 1,782,362 y ShJARS Filed .ov 50, 1928- 4 4 *Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 18, 1930 u UNITED YSTATES ARTHUR R. MUARTHUR, OF GARY, INDIANA; MATTIE LEE MCARTHUR EXECUTRIX OF SAID ARTHUR R. MCARTHUR, DECEASED SHEARS Application led November 30, 3.928. Serial No. 322,719.

This invention relates to shears and more particularly to a cutting-up shear for cutting up relatively long, thin, metal strips into short lengths, and has for its object the provision of a shear which will be hydraulically operated so as to eliminate the use of numerous gears which wear and cause inaccurate operation. Y

The present shear is particularly adapted for use in a sheet mill in which the metal is lirst roughed down into long strips, and the strips are then cut up into short length sheets which are matched in pairs, doubled, then reheated and further reduced. In rolling or roughing down the bars or slabs to form the strips, some strips are elongated more than others due to the variations in the heat of the metal. Therefore, it is necessary to cut the sheets formed from the shorter strips shorter than the sheets cut from the longer strips, since it is essential to have the same, ornearly the same, amount of metal in each sheet.

The hydraulic operating mechanism of the present shear is particularly adapted for operating a shear of this class, since it is flexible and readily adjustable.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of a shearing apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional elevation through the shearing head.

Figure 4.- is an enlarged side elevation of the shearing head of the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan of the system of fluid control lines and associated mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2. designates the shear housing. A lower stationary shear-blade support 3 is secured between the sides of the housing 2 and has a shear-blade 4 secured thereon. -Alreciplocating shear-headl 5 is lmounted in vertical guideways 6 in the housing and carries a shear-blade 7. The shearhead 5 is provided with trunnions 8 at each end on' which one end of pitmen 9 are journaled. The other or lower ends of the pitmen 9 are pivotally secured to eccentric disks 10 secured on a control shaft 12 which is ournaled in the housing 2 in advance of the rollers 16 and 17 and have their shafts geared together by gears 22 and 23, and an idler gear 24 is provided which meshes with the gears 19 and 23 to drive the rollers 20-21.

An indexing cylinder 25 is provided for operating the feed-in pinch-rollers 16 and 17, and has its piston rod 26 connected with a rack 27 having a boss 28 thereon. The rack 27 meshes with a pinion 29 which idles on the shaft of the feed-in pinch-roller 17. The pinion 29 has one plate 30 of a plate-clutch keyed thereto. The other plate 32 of the clutch is keyed to the shaft of the rollerl7 with a feather key so that it may be moved along the shaft to engage and disengage from the plate 30. A stationary plate 31 is provided with a brake lining and is adapted to prevent the plate or disk 32from drifting when the clutch is disengaged.

The plate 32 is adapted to be reciprocated to engage and di-sengage the plate.30 by the piston 34 of a hydraulic cylinder 35, which piston is adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder 35 and also to rotate with the roll 17.-

The oil or-other iuid supplied to the cylinders 14, 25 and 35 is adapted to be controlled by a master control valve 36 which is operated by a suitable lever mechanism 37 andvshifter mechanism 37a adapted to be tripped by a screw threaded trip-rod 38 mounted in the slidable housing 2, and having a trip-stop 39 threaded thereon and slidably mounted in and held against rotation by a guideway 40.

suitable bearings 41 andiis provided at a.

point intermediate its ends with a bevel pin` v,ion 42, which meshes with a bevel gear 43 on a shaft 44 journaled in a housing 45 and carrying a sprocket 46. A secondfbevelpinion 47 is mounted on the rear end of the shaft 40l and is meshed vwith a bevelgear 48 on a shaft 49 journaled in a housin v-50 and carrying a sprocket 51. The sproc ets"46 and 51 are connected by a tell-tale sprocket chain 52 which carries an indicator pointer 53.

The forward end of the shaft is journaled in a housing 54 and is p-rovided with a pinion 55 which is meshed with a gear 56 on a jack-shaft 57 journaled in the housing 54 and provided with a sprocket 58 which is connected to a sprocket 59 on a shaft 60 by a chain 61. The shaft 60 is journaled in bearings 62 and 63 and carries a bevel gear 64 which meshe-s with a bevel gear 65 on a jackfshaftV 66 journaled in the housing 2. The jack-shaft 66, in turn, carries a bevel gear 67 which is meshed with a bevel gear 68 slidably keyed on the rod 38.

The shaft 40 is adapted to be rotated by a reversing motor 69 which is connected to the shaft by a train of reducing gearing 70.

In operation, when a strip is to be sheared, it is first drawn through the shear and its forward end is cropped off. The motor 69 is then started to move the tell-tale indicator pointer' 53 until it is directly opposite the rear end-of the strip. As'the shaft 40 is rotated by the motor 69 to move the tell-tale indicator pointer, the shaft 60 will be rotated so as to rotate the rod 38 and adjust the position of the stopmember 39. The parts of the telltale mechanism are all so proportioned and arranged that'the movement of the stop 39' will be such as to cause the feed-in pinchrollers 16 and 17 to be rotated by the rack 27 a greater or lesser amount, according to the direction the tell-tale indicator is noved, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the length of travel of the tell-tale indicator by the number of pieces arranged to becut or sheared from each strip.v

If it is desired to change the number of pices to be cut from the stri s of metal, this chan e may be accomplished changing the ratio etween the imon 55 and gear 56.

Thel control va ves and conduit arrangement for/ the cylinders l14, 25 and 35 are `shown diagrammaticallyin Figure 5.` In

this figure the shear-head 5 is shown begin-k nected' and Huid from the outlet port 75 of the pump 72 has passed through the line 7 5a to the port 76 of the valve 36 and out through the port 77, then through the line 7 7a to the cylinder of the Huid operated valve 74, thus supplying sufficient pressure to operate the valve` 74 so as to connect the ports 8O and 81 and the ports 94 and 99. With the valve 74 set as above described, oil will come from the high pressure side of pump 72 through the outlet 79 and lines 7 9a' and 79b into port 8O of the valve 74 and out through the port 81 to lines 83 and 84. The line 83 leads direct to the cylinder 35 and the line 84 leads through a foot valve 82 to the cylinder 25 then through the line 84a to the shear-head cylinder 14. The foot valve 82 acts as a resistance or choke which serves to build up pressure in the line 83 so that the cylinder 35 will operate prior to the cylinders 25 and 14.

Just before the shearing piston 14 comes to its lowest point, the shear-head 5 trips the lever mechanism 37 to operate the valve shifter 37a and shift the valve 36 so that the ports 76 and 86 and ports 77 and 89 are connected and the oil coming from outlet of the pump 72 and entering inlet 76 will leave through a'port 86 and line 87 andenter port 88 of valve 74. The pressure which had been built up in the line 77 a is released through the port 89 of valve 36 through lines 90-91 to inlet 92 of the pump 72.

Fluid pressure is built up at the inlet or 'port 88 of the valve 47 4 and the pressure from the other side of the valve is released through the pipe v77, so as to reset the valve 74. Resetting of the valve 74 will connect the ports and 94 and the ports 81 and 99 so that the oil coming from the outlet 7 9 of the pump I'..-.."

72 will enter the port 80 of the valve 74, and leave through the port 94 through lines 95 and 96. The line 95 leads direct to the clutchoperating cylinder 35 and also through a foot valve 97 to the shear-head cylinder 14 LCS be released through port 99 Which communicates through lines 100. and 101 with a high pressure oil strainer 102. The strainer 102, in turn, is connected by aline 103 with an inlet port 104 of the pump 7 2.

As the piston 25 moves upward, the boss 28 on the rack 27 will strike the stop 39 on the rod 38 which, in turn, will operate the lever mechanism 37 to return to the position shown in the drawings, and thereby return the valve 36 to original position to again start the cycle of control.

When the valve 36 is returned to its original position the pressure built up in the lines n, 95 and 96 Will release itself through the port 99 of the valve 74C.

If, for any reason, it is desirable to stop the cycle Without shutting down the pump, the lever 110 of a valve 112 will be shifted manually so as to set the valve to allow the oil to circulate through a closed circuit from the outlet 79 of the pump 72 through the line 79a to the port 113 of the valve 112 and then out of the port 114 of the valve through the line '101, strainer 102 and line 103, back through the port 104 of the pump.

Return of the valve 112 to normal position will again permit the oil to flow under pressure to the several operating cylinders.

The line 116 leading from the port 117 of the valve 112 connects with the line 91 leading to the port 92 of the pump and serves as a drain for the valve 112. An air exhaust valve 118 is provided at the highest point in the system so as to exhaust the air from the system and prevent air locking thereof. A pressure gage 119 is mounted in the high pressure line 79a to indicate the pressure being developed by the pump 72. i,

All the valves and other ports of the hydraulic system above described are of standard design and, therefore, are shown only diagrammatically.

Fromthe above itl will be evident that all the Working parts of the shear are hydraulically operated and, therefore, inaccurate operation, due to the wearing of gears and similar power parts, is entirely eliminated.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the4 scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

1. A11 automatic cutting-up shear for shearing strips into a .plurality of short lengths of equal weight, comprising a shearbead, hydraulic means for operating said shear-head, a plurality of feed-in rolls for feeding the strip to be sheared through said shear.` in a step-by-step manner, hydraulic means for operating said feed-in rolls, means operable by said feed-in roll operating means for releasing the fluid pressure to said feedcylinders to the other end, said means in roll operating means and for supplying fluid pressure to said shear-head operating means, and means operable by 4said shearhead for releasing the fluid pressure to said shear-head operating means and for supplying fluid pressure to said feed-in roll operating means.

2. An automatic cutting-up shear for shearing strips into a plurality of short lengths of equal weight, comprising a shear head, a hydraulic cylinder for operating said shear-head, a plurality of feed-in rolls for feeding the strip to be sheared through said shear in a step-by-step manner, gearing connecting said rolls, a pair of clutch members mounted on one of said rolls, one of said clutch members being keyed on said roll and the other of said clutch members being slidably and rotatably mounted on said roll, a pinion fixedly mounted on said last named clutch member, a rack meshed with said pinion, a hydraulic cylinder adapted to recipro.

cate said rack to rotate said pinion and clutch member, a second hydraulic cylinder adapted to engage and disengage said clutch members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinders, and means for transferring the fluid pressure from one end of said cylinder to the other end, said means being operable by said rack when the strip is being fed into the machine'and by said shear-head when the-strip is being sheared. 3. An automatic cutting-up shear for shearing strips into a plurality of short lengths of equal weight, comprising a shearhead, a hydraulic cylinder for operating said shear head, a plurality of feed-in rolls for feeding the strip to be sheared through said shear in a step-by-step manner, gearing connecting said rolls, a pair of clutch members mounted on one of said rolls, one of said clutch members being keyed on said roll and the other of said clutch members being slidably-and rotatably mounted on said roll, a pinion'f'ixedly mounted on saidlast named clutch member, a rack meshed with said pin ion, a hydraulic cylinder adapted to reciprocate said rack to rotate said pinion and clutch member, a second hydraulic cylinder adapted to engage and disengage said clutch members, means for supplying iuid under pressure to said cylinders, and means for transferring the fluid pressure from one end of said being operable by said rack when'the strip is bein fed into the machine and by said shear-hea when the stripis being sheared, and resistance valves in the fluid supply lines leading to said rack operating cylinder and said shear-head operating cylinder whereby said clutch operating cylinder will be operated prior to the operation of either of said last named cylinders. 4. An automatic cutting-up shear for shearing strips into a plurality of short lengths of equal Weight, comprising a shearhead, a hydraulic cylinder for Operating said shear-head, a plurality of feed-in, rolls for feeding the strip to be sheared through said shear in a step-by-step manner, gearing connecting said rolls, a pair of clutch members mounted on one of sald rolls, one of said clutch members being keyed on said roll and` the other of said clutch members being slidably and rotatably mounted on said roller, a

pinion fixedly mounted on said last named clutch member, a rack meshed with said pinion, a hydraulic cylinder adapted to reciprocate said rack to rotate said pinion and clutch member, a second hydraulic cylinder adapted to engage and disengage said clutch members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinders, said means including a fluid pressure pump, a fluid pressure operated valve, and a control valve for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure valve, means for operating said control valve so as to operate said fluid pressure valve to transfer the fluid pressure from one end of said cylinders to the other end, said means being operable by said rack When the strip is being fed into the machine and by said shearhead when the strip is being sheared.

5. An automatic cutting-up shear for shearing stripsinto a plurality of short lengths of equal weight, comprising a shear-head, a hydraulic cylinder for operating said shearhead, a plurality of feed-in rolls for feeding the strip to be sheared through said shear in a step-by-step manner, gearin connecting said rollers, a pair of clutch mem ers mounted on one'of said rolls, one of said clutch members being keyed on said roller and the other of said clutch members being slidably and rotatably mounted von said roll, a pinion fixedly mounted on said last named clutch member, arack meshed with said pinion, a hydraulic cylinder adapted to reciprocate said rack to rotate said pinion and clutch member, a second hydraulic cylinder adapted to engage and. disengage said clutch members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinders, said means including a fluid pressure pump, a fluid pressure operated valve, and a control valve for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure valve, means for operating said-control valve so as to operate said fluid re'ssu're Valve to' transfer the fluid pressure fliom one end of said cylinders to the other endsaid means being operable by said rack when the strip is being fed into the machine and by said shear-head when the strip is being sheared, and a manually operated valve adapted to control a by-pass for said fluid to stop the operation of said cylinders When desired.

In 'Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR R. MCARTHUR. 

